In The Wrong Direction
by AlwaysSandcastles
Summary: It's 2030, everyone is living different lives but the lives they're living isn't what they thought they wanted. Barney and Robin rediscover their love for each other via text conversations and realize that they are both missing something in their lives. Robin is with Ted but all of that will change cause being with him feels different. It feels wrong...B/R/T
1. Texting

It's 2030, Tracy is still dead sadly being replaced by Robin. Barney is a hands on, loving father, Robin isn't happy or fulfilled living with Ted and his kids because it feels wrong. To her, she thought maybe settling down again and being with Ted was a good idea, he's reliable and save but is that good enough for Robin? Is Ted right for her happiness and is Barney happy just being a dad to a teenaged daughter?

Unhappiness and wrong decisions makes this world of Barney and Robin's lives not fulfilled enough to be happy. The thought of being happy again wasn't as scary as it used to be but now it's now unhappy than scary.

All those questions are answered in this story. This is a month after Robin gets back together with Ted and two years since B/R started to get close again.

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><p><strong>In The Wrong Direction<strong>

"I can't do this anymore. It's gotten to be so unsettling, he's laying there crying himself to sleep... Every night, he's doing this talking about things in his sleep calling out her name. I think, I don't belong here this isn't my place."_ My place is with you. _She wants to say but doesn't.

Robin and Barney have been texting and calling each other every once in a while. But, mostly texting every day for over a year since they became closer again and she got back together with Ted.

"I told you that would happen. He's never going to get over her, you're just a replacement for Tracy. He might cover it up and do everything he can to forget..." It's what he, himself has been doing ever since their divorce, covering up his feelings over losing her again. But he's trying to let that go, desperately trying. "Her, but you never forget your true love." He ends the text with a sad emoji.

This has been happening a lot lately, Ted had been crying every night since they went to the cemetery two weeks ago. And, Robin had been worried and since she and Barney had been getting more closer in the last few years they have been texting and calling each other. Barney knows what's going on with Ted and the kids and Robin knows about what's going on with Ellie.

"She loves you Robin, she said to me just yesterday that she wants you to come around more." Robin, in all the years she's known Barney he's never been so endearing with someone but ever since his daughter came into his life, he's been acting different. He's still Barney but he's changed a lot because of Ellie. Robin had been hanging out with them recently when she isn't with Ted and his kids. Robin noticed how he's more softer towards Ellie's feelings, wants, needs and he's an all around great dad a dotting dad which to Robin is something she would have never thought some years earlier.

"I will come over soon, tell her Aunt Robin says hi and that she will come see her soon. But, getting back to Ted."

They talked for a few more minutes just texting and updating each other on different things happening in their lives. It used to be this easy once, it used to be them just hanging out, having fun days and night, just being together, being themselves. After the divorce, they went their separate ways but once they came together and seen each other more. They became their old Barney Stinson and Robin Scherbatsky selves. The new lives, they both have now. Neither of them would have thought this would be them. Barney Stinson having a kid and being a great hands on dad and Robin being back together with Ted... But, something seemed not right, something felt wrong.

"I-" She wants to tell him, tell him that being around Ted isn't right. Being with his kids, Tracy's kids isn't right. Being a step mom wasn't her place, replacing Tracy doesn't feel good. It's an uneasy feeling to sit at the dining table every night, having dinner with them and Ted and the kids just not talking. And, Ted walking around all mopey and unhappy not talking to her. She wants to tell him that she misses him, that even kissing Ted doesn't feel right. That, she also cries herself to sleep a lot over choosing a life she didn't want. A life with the wrong guy, an unhappy widowed guy. Yes, he's a friend, and maybe something more but it always feels like Robin's the replacement for his true love. She wants to tell Barney that she still loves him. Her own true love, the guy she fell in love with and married some years ago. That the divorce and the years after it seemed unfulfilled. But, she doesn't and ends up finishing the conversation.

"I will come over this weekend, tell Ellie I want to spend all day with her." Robin doesn't say 'And you too' but she doesn't have to. It'll be fun hanging out with Ellie who's now a teenager. Robin can't believe how much the time went by. The years after their divorce seemed to go so slowly but in reality everything went fast. All the kids grew up, Tracy sadly passed away from cancer, Marshall and Lily had one more kid and left New York for California because of Marshall's latest job opportunity. And, Robin. She traveled but not for along time before finally settling down in New York again. Before running into Barney again after being apart for five years due to them not being in contact and Robin traveling. But, now that it's 2030 everything seems to be back to where it was over fifteen years ago. Just, slightly wrong and weird with a different outcome.


	2. Gone Again

This chapter is getting down to the real issue Robin has with her heart versus her safe mind. This takes a turn for her, she's still with Ted but has been hanging out with Barney more behind Ted's back. She wants to spend her time with Barney because of one reason and one reason alone. She loves him, still after along time being apart but her main problem is these two men fighting over her which cearly does not work for the long term of a relationship. B/R are trying to rekindle that old spark that seems to always be there when they're around each other and Ted and Robin are trying in a new refreshed relationship but they have so many problems and it has to do with Robin's feelings for Barney which Ted does not know about yet. He will though, remember this is a B/R story in which they do get back together but Robin doesn't know how to tell Ted because he loves her too. But, her heart and whole being belongs to Barney.

Also, there will be more of Robin and Ellie's relationship she hadn't seen her since she was a baby but now she's all grown up and loves her aunt Robin.

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><p>"So, how are you what's been going on with you lately?"<p>

Barney and Robin have been talking a lot lately, it almost feels like the old days when it was just them alone being themselves and having a good time, but now even though things have changed completely from those times they shared together. They both started talking to each other again for two years. The years they spent apart after the divorce was some of the most loneliest times for both of them but now that Barney has Ellie and is a father (it's so weird that Barney Stinson the man she fell in love with and married some years ago has a child). Robin has watched Barney and Ellie together a lot in the last few months, ever since they became close again and started talking. Once it wasn't so weird and uncomfortable to be around each other. They are back to being Barney and Robin, both of them have been enjoying being close again, so it's nice for Robin to get to spend some time with Barney and Ellie while Ted's away on a business trip and he took the kids with him while Robin stayed in New York to work. It was her excuse to hang with Barney it was their secret to keep none of their friends knew they reconnected and Ted didn't know either because Robin didn't want him to find out that she's spending time with Barney and Ellie after the fight they got into over her almost a year ago on this date.

Ugh, Barney sighs shaking his head. "I knew it. I knew you would do this again Ted. Everytime I turn away for one second you're at Robin's door step with that damn blue french horn. I can't believe you would do that to me. To our friendship, this. This is a new low for you, creeping on my ex wife again after all this time, after Tracy's death. I knew you had feelings for her but not after what you had with Tracy. I thought I could trust you but I guess I can't."

Barney is yelling at the top of his lungs, he's so had it with Ted and his obsession with his ex wife even when he's standing right here in front of both Robin and Ted shouting at both of them.

"Well, it's not my fault that I still love Robin and I know she still loves me. I loved Tracy, she was everything to me but at some point I had to move on and so do you."

Barney has no words left in him to express so all he could do is ball up his fists really tight ready to punch Ted out.

"First of all Robin doesn't love you, she loves me she told me that last night when we were having sex in her bedroom. And, second if you ever loved Tracy you would mourn her, be with your children and spend time with your family. If you want to move on that's fine but why do you always go back to Robin when clearly she does not love you?"

Robin is also standing there watching Barney and Ted yell at each other not knowing what to say after Ted came over with that french horn and saw Barney appear from the other room.

"Okay, just stop it you two. I've had enough, Ted I need you to leave now I need to talk to Barney."

Robin doesn't know why these two men still fight over her or why Ted is here. Okay, she does know why Ted's here but this was not the right time for them to be fighting over her again after all these years and everything that's happened in their lives.

"Fine, but let me tell you I do love Tracy, still love her she was the love of my life but at some point I had to move on and that's why I came here today." Ted's last words made Robin feel uncomfortable especially after she told him while he was still married to Tracy that she does still have some feelings for him but that was an inappropriate time to tell Ted that and she instantly regretted doing that so she moved on with her life until she ran into Barney only a few months ago which lead to them having brunch and talking.

"I'm sorry about Ted, let me explain please."

Robin gestured to Barney to sit down on her couch and he does without saying anything. She follows him and sits next to him facing him.

"A few years ago I told Ted that I had some feelings for him while we caught up during a lunch date, after I was traveling and decided to come back to New York. Tracy was still alive at the time. It was dumb of me to so that especially to Tracy who I did like. I know Tracy and I weren't close but it was a stupid move on my part and I regret doing that. After that I tried to move on so I worked more and stopped trying to have any relationship. I decided to settle down after along time traveling for work in New York again so that's why I think Ted came here tonight. What I told him that was wrong but then I ran into you and I realized that I still loved you, but I was scared to tell you so I didn't. I like Ted, I really do he's one of my best friends but I don't love him like the way he thinks. I love you."

Barney doesn't know exactly what to say, he knows Robin loves him but he still gets the feeling that she might still love Ted. He hates that feeling, it's the same feeling he had over his wedding weekend to Robin after Ted told him that he still had feelings for that woman he was about to marry. And, again after all these years he still has this sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach that maybe, possibly Robin does still loves Ted, maybe even more than him which is the worst feeling he's ever had felt. It's even worse than divorcing Robin when he loved her and that was the last thing he wanted. This is killing him, not knowing if Robin is being sincere or is lying to him, maybe a little over the fact that she still has some feelings left for him that she isn't telling him. Even after the night they had together just last night.

Barney turns to Robin after not looking at her at all while she told him the story about her feelings for Ted. He's so angry at Ted and now angry with Robin for keeping this a secret from him after they rekindled? Their relationship after so long being apart from each other. He's so confused and angry, he doesn't know what to say.

"Robin, I know you still have feelings for him that's obvious even on the day I married you I knew he still had feelings for you and it killed me then to think that the woman I was about to marry still had feelings for my best friend. This kills me to say this but..."

He looks away trying to contain the tears that were about to burst from his eyes. This was more painful then falling in love with her, more painful then the time she picked another guys over him, painful when he had to watch her date every single guy there was when he still loved her, more painful than when Ted told him on his wedding weekend that he still loved Robin and even more painful when Robin asked him if he wanted an out of their marriage. He doesn't know what's more painful but he does know that the look Robin is giving him right now is an honest look. He knows this look very well, the look of her crying with her desperate sad eyes and looking like she wants to go run and hide in her bedroom. It's the same look she had the night they had their first kiss and ever since then that look was also very painful to look at.

She wasn't denying it, it was written all over her tear stained face. She does still have feelings for Ted, he knew it. This was the thing that killed him, knowing that Robin still has feelings for Ted after they decided to try and give their relationship another go-around. It's a never ending thing with them, with her. She's always been so confused about her own life, what she wants, who she wants, who she loves. This has been her MO, her way of getting out of something that she clearly does want but this is just not one thing she's getting out of it's two things. Him and Ted!

"I'm so sorry Barney, I didn't mean to upset you I'm just really confused about everything right now. I love you both but I told you last night that I loved YOU and that wasn't a lie. I love you, always have and always will. If you don't understand that by now then I..."

"No, I do understand it. I understand you perfectly, loud and clear. Robin, I'm sorry but I can't do this anymore, I do love you. More than anything (Ellie not included) and when we divorced it killed me, so much so that after it I started to not care about anything or anyone until Ellie of course. But, that doesn't take away from how devastated I was when we divorced. I-I can't do this again Robin, I love you so much that I'm willing to do you a favor. I'm going to leave, we can still be friends but this sickening feeling I have at the pit of my stomach over you and your feelings for another man, a man who was my best friend. I can't do this anymore, so I'm leaving because as much as I want to be with you I can't do that while you still have feelings for Ted. I thought I could wipe this out of my mind but I can't and that's the most devastating thing in the word to me."

Barney stands up then slowly and sweetly kisses Robin on the head like he's always done after they fought and they would make up or anytime she was upset with something and they talked about it till dawn in the morning.

"Bye, Robin." He sadly walks towards the door leaving Robin sitting on the couch watching him walk out of her life again. She didn't have the energy to get off of that couch and run to him before he's gone forever again, she wanted so desperately to get up and tell him by just one kiss, one passionate kiss on his hot pink lips (lips that always seemed to get her going and made her days and nights completed) those lips made her weak and she knew her lips made him weak but she could seems to get up. This devastated her heart. Again, and again, and again this man has walked out on her, they walked out on each other and she walked out on him but each other they stayed. They stayed because their love was stronger than any fight they had or anytime they felt lonely and missed each other. But, now she couldn't do that, so she stays until the door closes behind Barney and he's gone from her apartment. From her life again... That's when she loses it.

"_Damn it, I messed it up again." He left again, he left and she stayed pitifully on this god damn couch with no movement or no sounds coming out of her mouth. He left and now he's gone again after so long being apart and not talking. He left again this time for good. She knows she could never find a way to get back to the times when Barney made her feel special and free it was the times when she thought that the feeling of being alive, being with one man, not only one man but Barney. Was the only thing she ever wanted but now that''s over again. The man she still wanted and loved is gone again and she doesn't blame him for walking out on her again._

"I'm doing great, actually I have a new job which I wanted to tell you the other day when we met for lunch but we talked about other things so I didn't get to bring it up. Ellie's doing great in school too."

Barney is in a good place after that heartbreaking time in his life, in their lives but all of what happened might have been for the best... Until, Robin told him something he never expected to hear after their day was over and Ellie went to bed.

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><p>In chapter 4 I'll explain more of the reason why Ted doesn't know about BR's relationship and why Robin is keeping this a secret. Think B/R between seasons 4 and 5 their secret summer, minus the hotness of their sexual relationship they were in love then and they still are it's just Robin's been terrified to go back to Barney because she doesn't want to ruin things with them again.


	3. It's Complicated

This chapter is mostly Robin's perspective on the two men in her life this can take her in the right direction again once she finds the right time to tell Ted everything but things happen and that time isn't right now. Think about the timing scenario here, Robin is still in love with Barney and wants to be with him but things don't happen right away... At least not for sometime.

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><p>"I don't feel anything when I'm with Ted. I know I thought I loved him but it's not the same, it has never felt right with him even after I thought I loved him and he loved me but it's not the same. I mean, he's a nice guy but being with him is weird. I can't explain it, I thought I could be with him again but the feelings I thought I had for him have been gone for along time. And, it's clear to me now that he still misses Tracy, he's just replacing me with her loss. I think he's just so lost without her and that's why he came to me that night with the blue french horn. I almost thought being with Ted was the only way to be happy and safe because he's the safe choice..."<p>

This really couldn't wait any longer, this needed to be said.

"All me life I chose the safer route because I was too scared of taking a risk so everything I've done in my adult life has been safe. I liked being safe, I liked knowing that nothing can hurt me if I don't let it hurt enough. Like my father or letting you hurt me over and over again until I felt so numb that I stopped feeling anything I felt towards you. But, now I just can't do the safe thing anymore I'm too old to play it safe. I love my job but I haven't felt completed with that. I like Ted but I just don't feel the way I do for you. I'm just not in love with him to feel that way. Do you know when I felt safe and completed?"

They are sitting on Barney's couch after the long day they had talking about everything until Robin turned the lighthearted conversation into a serious one. And, now he's just listening to what she has to say and he can't believe what he's hearing. They took Ellie to the park and got dinner before Ellie went to bed. It was a nice day.

He nods and let's her continue...

"When I felt that way. It was when we were together, when I knew I could trust you with my heart again after everything that had happened in the past we got married and it was the best decision I ever made in my life. My adult life. Meeting you and falling in love with you it never felt wrong, it was scary but wonderful to fall in love, it was something I told myself never to do but with you it felt right. I knew from the moment I first met you that I liked you and that like turned into the best 8 years of my life. I didn't know how to love or if I wanted someone to love me because of how messed up I was but you did. You loved me for who I was and no matter what I did to break your heart so many times that I don't even know how to make it right to you again. You still loved me anyway, the moment I married you I knew I wasn't scared anymore because all my life I ran because of being scared but then after we divorced I began to wonder what the hell was I doing... Letting you leave the way you did."

"He's just not me/you."

They say in unison looking at each other wondering where the time went. This time, it could be it for each other, they are both at the age where life starts to get slowly and you realize things you tried to stop realizing. They stared at each other for... They don't know, when one of them moved or talked that spell they were just under broke and everything started to come undone. Unfinished if you will...

"What about Ted? I know there's still a little part of you that can't leave him. I mean, I know you want to be with me but what about Ted and the kids and your life with them?"

Barney wants to just ask her to move in with him but he can't do that unless Robin wants to and once she tells Ted. She wanted to stay here for the rest of her life but she knows there's Ted, and that life she thought was better for her but she doesn't want to hurt Ted's feelings cause she knows he loves her.

"We can't be together until you tell Ted and let this nice guy dream of yours go. He's not a baby he can handle what you tell him. He will understand, if he cares about you enough he will understand that you don't love him and you want to be with me."

Barney's right, she wants to call Ted now and tell him everything but she doesn't want this to happen over the phone or by text. Being with Barney is what she wants but Ted still think she wants to be with him and loves him. She's too old to play these games, they're too old to play these games as serious as they are they can't be together until Ted knows.

Ted comes back home that following Sunday to Robin in the kitchen making some dinner. She is making this meal for him to tell him that she doesn't want this life, that she doesn't love him and wants to tell him about Barney but that all doesn't happen right at this time.

_**Timing: Someone once told her that if you have chemistry the timing will be a bitch and man that someone was once her very best girlfriend. Lily was right, timing is a real bitch when it takes longer to be with someone you love. Robin learned this listen several times over the years and one of those times was when she wanted to be with Barney but the timing wasn't right because he was dating someone else.**_

"My mother is sick she wants me to come visit her. Tomorrow." Damn, just when she thought she could talk to him and tell him everything she needs to tell him this happens.

_I'm sorry Barney, apparently Virginia is sick I can't tell him now._

Robin feels terrible, she always seems to get herself into these situations and never gets to finish what she starts. In this case a conversation that needs to be situated but now she can't do that cause she needs to be there for Ted in case whatever happens to Virginia is bad.

_Okay, but are you sure you aren't just dragging your feet with this?_

Barney's not shocked by this she always does this every time she gets herself into something serious she runs it's always been her weakness to her personality it's the one thing Barney can't fathom.

_No, I'm serious Virginia is sick we are going to Ohio tomorrow. Again I'm sorry_

Great, now he has to wait for an answer from her and god only knows when that will be.

Barney and Robin continue to text each other the next week talking back and forth telling each other things that aren't serious. Robin is dragging her feet on this, Barney hates this whole thing he just wishes that his life had been completed already once he married Robin but that feeling of feeling whole again doesn't seem to ever close. He wants that feeling of forever with Robin but he also knows that whenever something difficult comes up she chickens out, just like she always does. He hoped that it was easy again, easy for them to go back to the way things were. He misses her and she misses him but being together it's just not a good time and that feeling of forever with her feels to be strained again.


End file.
